Valve for zoned cellular cushion

Abstract

A valve for use with an inflatable cushion having individual inflation zones including a slide housing positioned between two outer casing halves. Each casing half has a plurality of nipple connector seats. Each nipple connector seat has at least one external detent. The slide housing has a series of nipple connectors along its length that are inserted into air conduits in the peripheral edge of the cushion, which, in turn, are connected to the individual inflation zones. Each nipple connector has at least one retainer groove in the surface. The casing half detents engage the cushion edge and the retainer grooves to retain the nipple in the air conduits. There is a movable slide inside the slide seat bore. The slide has a longitudinal inner bore and a number of openings along its length that communicate with the inner bore. The valve is opened by aligning the slide openings with the connector nipples to allow the inflation zones to communicate through the valve slide bore and is closed by moving the slide openings out of alignment with the casing openings to seal off the inflation zones.

What is claimed:  
     
       1. A valve assembly for use with an inflatable apparatus having a base and an array of upstanding fluid filled cells on one side of the base, the array of cells being divided into a plurality of inflation zones, each zone having a separate air conduit extending from the zone comprising: 
       an outer casing comprising opposed sections attachable to the inflatable apparatus, said opposed sections defining a slide housing seat;  
       a slide housing within the slide housing seat, the slide housing having a longitudinal bore and comprising at least one connector having an inner bore for fluid communication between an air conduit and the slide housing longitudinal bore; and  
       a slide within said slide housing bore, said slide comprising a wall defining a longitudinal bore and at least one opening through the slide wall into said slide bore, wherein movement of the slide within the casing bore to a first position places the at least one slide opening in functional alignment with the at least one connector thereby opening the valve, and movement of the slide within the casing bore to a second position places the at least one slide opening out of functional alignment with the at least one connector thereby closing the valve.  
     
     
       2. The valve of  claim 1  wherein said at least one connector has at least one retainer groove formed therein. 
     
     
       3. The valve of  claim 2  wherein said outer casing has at least one detent positioned to engage said at least one connector retainer groove when the outer casing is attached to the apparatus. 
     
     
       4. The valve of  claim 3  wherein a first casing section further comprises at least one retainer detent positioned to engage the at least one retainer groove in the connector when the outer casing is attached to the apparatus. 
     
     
       5. The valve of  claim 3  wherein a second casing section further comprises at least one retainer detent positioned to engage the at least one retainer groove in the connector when the outer casing is attached to the apparatus. 
     
     
       6. The valve of  claim 3  wherein a first casing section further comprises at least one connector seat having a detent therein positioned to engage the at least one retainer groove when the casing is attached to the apparatus. 
     
     
       7. The valve of  claim 1  wherein said slide housing further comprises a plurality of connectors for fluid connection between the air conduits and the slide housing bore, said slide wall having a plurality of openings therein, wherein movement of the slide within the slide housing bore to a first position places each of the plurality of slide openings in functional alignment with one of the plurality of connectors thereby opening the valve, and the movement of the slide within the slide housing bore to a second position places the slide openings out of functional alignment with the connectors thereby closing the valve. 
     
     
       8. The valve of  claim 7  wherein said outer casing further comprises a plurality of connector seats, said connector seats being perpendicular to said slide housing seat. 
     
     
       9. The valve of  claim 7  wherein each of said plurality of connectors has a substantially semi-circular cross section. 
     
     
       10. The valve of  claim 7  wherein each of the plurality of connectors has at least one retainer groove formed thereon and the casing further comprises a first section having a plurality of connector seats therein, each connector seat including at least one detent positioned to engage a connector retainer groove, and an opposed second section having a plurality of detents, one each of last said detents positioned to engage a connector retainer groove when the casing is attached to the apparatus base. 
     
     
       11. The valve of  claim 1  wherein said outer casing further comprising means for attaching said outer casing to the apparatus. 
     
     
       12. A valve assembly for use with an inflatable apparatus having a plurality of individual inflation zones comprising: 
       a casing having a first section and a second section when assembled together forming a longitudinal inner bore therebetween and a plurality of spaced apart openings through the casing into said bore for fluid communication between casing bore the plurality of cushion inflation zones; and  
       a slide within said casing bore having a longitudinal inner bore and a plurality of spaced apart ports into the slide bore and comprising seals adjacent each of the plurality of ports to define an air chamber at the port, wherein movement of the slide within the casing bore to a first position places the air chambers in alignment with the casing openings thereby opening the valve, and the movement of the slide within the casing bore to a second position places the air chambers out of alignment with the casing openings thereby closing the valve.  
     
     
       13. In a cushion having a base and an array of upstanding fluid filled cells on one side, said array of cells being divided into a plurality of inflation zones, each zone having a separate air conduit extending from the zone, a valve assembly attached to the separate air conduits for putting the generally isolated zones into and out of fluid connection, the valve assembly comprising: 
       a slide housing having a longitudinal bore therein and comprising a plurality of connectors, each of said plurality of connectors having a bore in fluid communication with the slide housing bore, each connector being in fluid communication with one each of the separate air conduits extending from an inflation zone, each of said connectors having at least one retainer groove formed in the surface thereof;  
       an outer casing having a first section on a first side of the slide housing and second section on an opposite side of the slide housing, said first casing section having a plurality of connector seats for seating said plurality of connectors, each said connector seat having at least one detent for engaging a connector retainer groove when said slide housing is positioned between said casing sections; and  
       a slide within said slide housing bore, said slide having an internal bore and a plurality of spaced apart ports in fluid communication with said last slide bore, wherein movement of the slide within the slide housing bore to a first position places the plurality of ports in functional alignment with the plurality of said slide housing connectors thereby opening the valve and placing the inflation zones in communication, and the movement of the slide within the slide housing bore to a second position places the plurality of ports out of functional alignment with the plurality of slide housing connectors thereby closing the valve and isolating the inflation zones.  
     
     
       14. The valve assembly of  claim 13  wherein said second outer casing section has at least one detent formed thereon for engaging said retainer groove when said slide housing is positioned between said casing sections. 
     
     
       15. The valve assembly of  claim 13  wherein said slide further comprises a plurality of seals with one seal on each side of a port, said seals defining discrete air compartments at the ports between the seals. 
     
     
       16. A cellular cushion comprising 
       a flexible base having a peripheral edge;  
       a plurality of flexible hollow air containing cells fixed to and projecting upwardly from the base, the cells being separated into independent pneumatic zones;  
       an air conduit operatively connected to each of said independent pneumatic zones; and  
       a valve for controlling air flow among said independent pneumatic zones, said valve comprising:  
       a slide housing having a longitudinal bore therein and a plurality of connectors in fluid connection with the slide housing bore, one each of said connectors operatively associated with one each of said air conduits, each said connector having at least one retainer groove formed therein;  
       an outer casing defining a longitudinal seat for the slide housing, said casing including a plurality of connector seats, each said connector seat having at least one detent for engaging a retainer groove when the slide housing and connectors are seated in said casing; and  
       a slide within said slide housing bore, said slide having a longitudinal inner bore and ports along the length of the slide in fluid communication with said slide bore, one each of said ports being in functional alignment with one each of said connectors when said slide is in a first position within said slide housing bore, thereby allowing air flow among said pneumatic zones through said slide bore and said ports being out of functional alignment with said connectors when said slide is in a second position within said slide housing bore thereby blocking air flow among said pneumatic zones through said slide bore.  
     
     
       17. The cushion of  claim 16  wherein said outer casing further comprises a first half and a second half, said casing halves impinging the cushion base peripheral edge and the air conduits between the casing halves when said valve is attached to the cushion. 
     
     
       18. A method of attaching a valve to a cellular cushion comprising a flexible base having a peripheral edge, a plurality of flexible hollow air cells fixed to and projecting upwardly from the base, the cells being separated into independent pneumatic zones, and an air conduit operatively connected to each of said independent pneumatic zones and terminating adjacent the peripheral edge, comprising; 
       introducing an adhesive into retainer grooves formed in an external surface of each of a plurality of conduit connectors on a valve slide housing;  
       aligning one each of the connectors with an open end of one each of the cushion air conduits;  
       inserting said connectors into the air conduits;  
       positioning a first valve casing section on the peripheral edge of the cushion at a first side of the slide housing, said first valve casing section having a plurality of detents formed on an inner surface, one each of the detents positioned to align with a connector retainer groove;  
       positioning a second valve casing section on the peripheral edge of the cushion at an opposite side of the slide housing, said second valve section having a plurality of detents formed on an inner surface, one each of the last said detents positioned to align a connector retainer groove; and  
       securing the first valve casing section to the second valve casing section to impinge the peripheral edge of the cushion and the air conduits between the retainer grooves and the detents on the first and second valve casing sections and displace adhesive from the retainer grooves to form adhesive seals between the air conduits and the connectors.